For a more complete guide on making moonshine, check out our how to make whiskey article. We also have complete guides on how to make vodka, how to make rum, and how to make gin.
In this guide, we make a delicious rye whiskey
A very in-depth video on how to make single malt whiskey shot with our pals over at Downslope Distilling in Englewood, CO
I thought you might like this moonshine recipe to enable you to make whiskey at home. The ingredients are malt, sugar, yeast and water. You can buy the malt from most big supermarkets, if they don’t have it they will probably order it for you. (You can also purchase it from us here) To every 1-2 pounds of malt you will add 1 gallons of hot water, up to 6.5 gallons. Dissolve 5 pounds of sugar and add yeast. Your yeast might require nutrients. (Always check the package to be sure.) Mix all this together in a barrel made of food grade plastic, stainless steel, or copper, under no circumstances use aluminum.
Keep it covered with cheese cloth to keep the bugs out (or just put the lid on your fermenter). Keep it in a cool place till it ferments. Then you can cook it off in your still and you have the smoothest whiskey you have ever tasted. After you run off the whiskey, it is clear like water. You can color it by taking a piece of dry fruit wood (or maple), burn the fruit wood over a flame till it is blackened, then drop the burned fruitwood in your clear whiskey. (You can also use oak spirals or oak chips). In a few days the whiskey will be the color of store bought whiskey.
A Rye Whiskey recipe by law is made from a mash that has at least 51% rye. The other ingredients that are usually found in a rye whiskey recipe are malted barley, wheat and corn. Although the law requires a rye whiskey recipe to have at least 51% rye most traditional rye whiskey recipes have more like 80% rye to give rye whiskey that spicy or fruity flavor to the whiskey.
Recipe for 6.5 gallon batch
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Heat water to 70 degrees and then mix in malt barley, malted rye and flaked rye. While stirring the mixture slowly heat to 160 degrees (raise temperature 5-10 degrees every 2-4 minutes).
Keep mixture at 160 degrees stirring constantly for 1.5-2 hours to convert starch into fermentable sugar and dextrin.
Filter off liquid and place into fermentation device and allow to cool to 70- 80 degrees. Immediately pitch one packet of whiskey yeast.
Stir liquid for 1 minute then cover and seal with a airlock.
Mash will take 5-7 days to ferment.
After fermentation is complete pour into the still, filtering it through a pillow case or strainer and cheesecloth to remove all solids.
Distill rye whiskey at no more then 160 proof. Distilleries will usually do a stripping run then spirit run to produce a quality rye whiskey. After distillation rye whiskey distilleries will proof down to 125 proof and put in a new whiskey barrels for two years. Alternative to whiskey barrels can be oak chips and or oak spirals for the hobbyist.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Put corn in a burlap bag and wet with warm water. Place bag in a warm dark place and keep moist for about ten days. When the sprouts are about a 1/4″ long the corn is ready for the next step.
Wash the corn in a tub of water, rubbing the sprouts and roots off. Throw the sprouts and roots away and transfer the corn into your primary fermenter With a pole or another hard object mash the corn, make sure all kernels are cracked. (You can skip this step entirely by buying corn already sprouted)
Add 5 gallons of boiling water and when the mash cools add yeast. Seal fermenter and vent with a water sealed vent.
Fermentation will take 7-10 days. When fermentation is done, pour into the still filtering through a pillow case or straining bag to remove all solids. Distill.
Created by Rod in honor of his Grandfather
Some of the smoothest Moonshine you will every drink
10 Gallon Batch
6 gallons water, 2.5 lbs quick oats ( Quaker Oats 1 min oats ) 10 pounds white sugar, 2 pounds brown sugar, 1/2 cup of bread yeast.
Put 6 gallons of hot 120F water in fermenter and stir in both sugars and quick oats stirring the hell out of it until all sugars are dissolved. Let cool to 80-85F then throw yeast. After fermentation is complete usually about 7 days then let settle ( clear ). Siphon off the top into a still then before you run it, throw in one pomelo fruit. Peel and quarter cut a pomelo fruit into quarter sections and add to the still. Then run that baby and out comes pure liquid gold.